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The Ultimate Star Wars Saga

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Lately I’ve been wondering “What if?” What if George Lucas’ Star Wars Saga had been mapped out in advanced instead of made up as it went along? What if the Saga had been released in chronological order? What if notable characters hadn’t disappeared between films? What if good ideas had been better executed/expanded upon? What if bad retcons hadn’t been an issue?

What follows are ideas I’ve come up with for a streamlined six-episode Star Wars Saga. I won’t be touching upon the ST, since to me it exists apart from Lucas’ brainchild. I may expand these ideas into cohesive story treatments, which I will post in this thread when/if I do so.

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EPISODE I

Naboo is now Alderaan. At this point in time, Alderaan is the ruling planet of an independent system which has petitioned for Republic membership but is not yet part of that body.

The Trade Federation is now the Federation Neimoidia. Instead of being a shipping/trading conglomerate (or whatever), the Federation’s a compact empire of mercenaries which hires its services out to planets/systems embroiled in small-scale conflicts.

Qui-Gon remains Obi-Wan’s master.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan wear black uniforms, the standard garb of Jedi.

Qui-Gon is the Jedi watchman of the Alderaan system. As such, he and Obi-Wan are already present on the planet’s surface when the Federation invades.

Amidala and Padmé are now separate characters. Amidala is a child queen, 9 years old, innocent and demure. Padmé is one of her bodyguards, 17 years old, stern, with a lean muscular build.

Threepio is one of Amidala’s servitors.

Palpatine never appears in his Darth Sidious persona. It is Darth Maul alone who conspires with the Neimoidians. He is a human with red-&-black body tattoos, pristine white teeth, and a crown of feathers sewn with razor wire about his head. He wears white robes, the standard garb of Sith.

The B1 battle droids are replaced with BX commando droids. These droids rarely speak.

Qui-Gon, a nonconformist who straddles the line between orthodoxy/unorthdoxy, is the only Jedi who wields a green lightsaber. Obi-Wan, more by-the-book than his master, wields a standard blue Jedi lightsaber.

Gungans are present in the story, but Jar Jar is jettisoned.

Obi-Wan accompanies Qui-Gon and Padmé into Mos Espa.

Anakin is 12 years old.

Cliegg Lars assumes Watto’s role. Owen is Anakin’s only friend. It is implied Cliegg is Anakin’s father (and Owen his half-brother).

Obi-Wan’s explanation of the Force in SW '77 is transferred here and given to Qui-Gon.

No podrace. Qui-Gon successfully barters for Anakin’s freedom but hasn’t enough to buy Shmi’s.

Rather than a double-bladed lightsaber, Darth Maul wields a lightsaber pike. The shaft is of lightsaber-resistant metal, sporting a single red blade.

The Neimoidians erect planetary shield generators across the face of Alderaan. These generators, kilometres across in size, ravage the natural landscape and claim thousands-to-millions of lives.

There is no Chosen One prophecy. Anakin’s raw prowess with the Force is impetus enough for Qui-Gon to bring him before the Jedi Council.

The dissonance between Qui-Gon and the Council is greater here, with visible animosity between Qui-Gon and Mace Windu.

The Republic has a navy, modest but sizable enough to displace the Neimoidian presence on Alderaan. Being a non-member system, however, bureaucratic red tape prevents the Senate from assisting Alderaan. This is what inspires the non-confidence vote which ousts Valorum from the chancellorship.

Anakin remains behind at the Jedi Temple as Qui-Gon and the others return to Alderaan.

Allying with the Gungans, the Jedi & co. go to capture and disable the main shield generator. This is where Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan face Maul. Maul fatally wounds Qui-Gon and bests Obi-Wan. Rather than slay Obi-Wan, Maul considers the apprentice too unworthy to die by his hand and so makes his departure.

The planetary shield nullified, the Republic fleet arrives to beat off the Federation.

The ending mostly plays out the same as in Lucas’ film.

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Interesting. So you plan for it to play out more like Belated Media’s “What if” prequel videos (at least with regard for the PT)? Do you have any ideas on how to do the OT (I haven’t really seen anyone try to revise or reimagine, so I’m curious to see how you will go)?

Screw lightsabers, I’ll stick with regular swords. At least they won’t blow up in my face like this franchise has.

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Wannabe Scholar said:

Interesting. So you plan for it to play out more like Belated Media’s “What if” prequel videos (at least with regard for the PT)?

Those videos were an inspiration, for sure. I also liked the ideas presented in this video.

Do you have any ideas on how to do the OT (I haven’t really seen anyone try to revise or reimagine, so I’m curious to see how you will go)?

The biggest changes I have in mind are in regard to the Death Stars and Luke & Leia. I’ll explain them in greater depth in coming posts.

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It seems odd to me to leave the ST out of this, cuz it’s another section of the saga that clearly wasn’t planned in 1977 and feels like a natural fit for such project. FWIW, my edits (when I get back to them) hope to be more consistent, but the difference will probably be marginal. Really, though, your rewrites seem to do far than make things consistent and viewable in chronological order.

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Anakin Starkiller said:

It seems odd to me to leave the ST out of this, cuz it’s another section of the saga that clearly wasn’t planned in 1977 and feels like a natural fit for such project.

I had some ideas for an ST rewrite, but I was gonna stick with the PT-OT because those were Lucas’ babies.

Really, though, your rewrites seem to do far than make things consistent and viewable in chronological order.

My previous PT rewrite was a deliberate inversion of the OT. I could craft a rewrite more in keeping with the films’ spirit if that was my goal.

Points are all moot now, though, since I’ve lost interest in a streamlined saga.

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When will you post your ideas for Episode II?

The unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequel and Disney trilogies is that they will always be around. Forever. They will never go away. It can never be undone.

I also prefer to be referred to as “TNT”, not “Freezing”.

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DuracellEnergizer said:

FreezingTNT2 said:

When will you post your ideas for Episode II?

Honestly, I’ve forgotten what ideas I had.

Just come up with new ideas and write them on a piece of paper or even Notepad.

The unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequel and Disney trilogies is that they will always be around. Forever. They will never go away. It can never be undone.

I also prefer to be referred to as “TNT”, not “Freezing”.

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I’ve lately reconsidered how I’d approach a complete rewrite of the Star Wars Saga. Specifically, how I’d handle continuity. Previously, I was interested in making a cohesive saga with no continuity errors between the trilogies; it’s a direction which no longer appeals to me. Mythologies have internal inconsistencies, and Star Wars is a modern mythology, so it should have them also.

Stay tuned for further details.

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DELETED COMMENT

The unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequel and Disney trilogies is that they will always be around. Forever. They will never go away. It can never be undone.

I also prefer to be referred to as “TNT”, not “Freezing”.

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EPISODE I: RECONSTRUCTED EDITION

Naboo is now Alderaan. At this point in time, Alderaan is the ruling planet of an independent system which has petitioned for Republic membership but is not yet part of that body.

Keeping this.

The Trade Federation is now the Federation Neimoidia. Instead of being a shipping/trading conglomerate (or whatever), the Federation’s a compact empire of mercenaries which hires its services out to planets/systems embroiled in small-scale conflicts.

Ditching this. I’d use the Mandalorian Death Watch instead.

Qui-Gon remains Obi-Wan’s master.

Ditching this. Yoda would be Obi-Wan’s master, with Qui-Gon Obi-Wan’s junior protege.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan wear black uniforms, the standard garb of Jedi.

Ditching this. Jedi would wear white uniforms.

[Obi-Wan] is the Jedi watchman of the Alderaan system. As such, he and [Qui-Gon] are already present on the planet’s surface when the Federation invades.

Keeping this.

Amidala and Padmé are now separate characters. Amidala is a child queen, 9 years old, innocent and demure. Padmé is one of her bodyguards, 17 years old, stern, with a lean muscular build.

Ditching this. I’d remove the Amidala/Padmé character altogether. A teenage Bail Organa would be the royal personage targeted by the Mandalorians, and his bodyguard would be the Mistryl Shadow Guard Nashira D’uquesne, a reimagined version of Anakin’s romantic partner from my previous PT rewrite.

Threepio is one of [Bail]'s servitors.

Keeping this.

Palpatine never appears in his Darth Sidious persona. It is Darth Maul alone who conspires with the [Mandalorians]. He is a human with red-&-black body tattoos, pristine white teeth, and a crown of feathers sewn with razor wire about his head. He wears white robes, the standard garb of Sith.

Ditching/amending this. I’m just completely sick to death of Maul; I’d use Asajj Ventress in his place, and she’d wear black.

The B1 battle droids are replaced with BX commando droids. These droids rarely speak.

Ditching this since Mandalorians are the enemy now.

[Obi-Wan], a nonconformist who straddles the line between orthodoxy/unorthdoxy, is the only Jedi who wields a green lightsaber. [Qui-Gon], more by-the-book than his master, wields a standard blue Jedi lightsaber.

Ditching this. Obi-Wan & Qui-Gon would both wield red lightsabers.

Gungans are present in the story, but Jar Jar is jettisoned.

Keeping this.

Anakin is 12 years old.

Ditching this. He’d be 14 years old to Nashira’s 19.

Cliegg Lars assumes Watto’s role. Owen is Anakin’s only friend. It is implied Cliegg is Anakin’s father (and Owen his half-brother).

Amending this. Cliegg would own the junk shop, but he’d be Anakin’s stepfather rather than biological father, and his relationship with Shmi would be a normal husband-wife relationship rather than one of master-slave.

No podrace. Qui-Gon successfully barters for Anakin’s freedom but hasn’t enough to buy Shmi’s.

Amending this. Still no podrace, but since Anakin’s not a slave, no bartering’s necessary.

Rather than a double-bladed lightsaber, [Ventress] wields a lightsaber pike. The shaft is of lightsaber-resistant metal, sporting a single red blade.

Ditching this. She’d wield two curved-hilt lightsabers with blue blades.

The [Mandalorians] erect planetary shield generators across the face of Alderaan. These generators, kilometres across in size, ravage the natural landscape and claim thousands-to-millions of lives.

There is no Chosen One prophecy. Anakin’s raw prowess with the Force is impetus enough for [Obi-Wan] to bring him before the Jedi Council.

The dissonance between [Obi-Wan] and the Council is greater here, with visible animosity between [Obi-Wan] and Mace Windu.

The Republic has a navy, modest but sizable enough to displace the [Mandalorian] presence on Alderaan. Being a non-member system, however, bureaucratic red tape prevents the Senate from assisting Alderaan. This is what inspires the non-confidence vote which ousts Valorum from the chancellorship.

Anakin remains behind at the Jedi Temple as [Obi-Wan] and the others return to Alderaan.

Allying with the Gungans, the Jedi & co. go to capture and disable the main shield generator. This is where [Obi-Wan] and [Qui-Gon] face [Ventress]. [Ventress] fatally wounds Qui-Gon and bests Obi-Wan. Rather than slay Obi-Wan, [Ventress] considers the [knight] too unworthy to die by [her] hand and so makes [her] departure.

The planetary shield nullified, the Republic fleet arrives to beat off the [Death Watch].

The ending mostly plays out the same as in Lucas’ film.

Keeping these.

Further changes I’d make:

  • Pre Vizsla would be the leader of the Mandalorians. He’d have no darksaber, though.
  • The Jedi council would remain adamant in their refusal to induct Anakin into the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan would defy them and begin training Anakin in secret.
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Why would the Jedi have red lightsabers?

The unfortunate reality of the Star Wars prequel and Disney trilogies is that they will always be around. Forever. They will never go away. It can never be undone.

I also prefer to be referred to as “TNT”, not “Freezing”.

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Some more ideas:

  • Most Jedi/Sith wouldn’t have Force powers such as telekinesis, Force lightning, etc. Only Force-wielders of extraordinary strength would have such powers.
  • The lightsaber would be a mostly ceremonial weapon; the Jedi/Sith would fight primarily with blasters and martial arts, utilizing lightsabers only as a cutting tool and in duels.
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Some thoughts, alternative ideas, and responses:

-let’s have blue be the color for all Jedi lightsabers, and red for all Sith, Luke gets green which symbolizes his New Jedi Order
-Palpatine is not Sith; he is something even more powerful in the Darkside
-Ventress dual-wielding ounds good; no lightpikes, double bladed blades or other silliness
-Clone Masters need to be the main enemy at some point (Episode 2 I guess); they come from outside the Galaxy and attack without warning; they are allied with the Mandalorians
-Boba Fetts suit/armour is a very light scout suit, not the heavy duty powered armor/exoskeletons worn by the front-line warriors
-there are multiple Clone Wars seperated by years of peace
-lets put the Jedi in white half-armour like Kenobi wears in the Clone Wars

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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theprequelsrule said:

Some thoughts, alternative ideas, and responses:

-let’s have blue be the color for all Jedi lightsabers, and red for all Sith, Luke gets green which symbolizes his New Jedi Order

Truth be told, I keep vacillating between this and the inverse. On one hand, blue works for PT-era Jedi and red for Sith due to the too cold/too hot dichotomy they represent. On the other, I like the idea of the “good guys” using red lightsabers, plus it hearkens back to the early drafts of the first film.

One way or the other, Luke and the New Jedi Order at large would have a rainbow of lightsaber colours to represent their individuality and the break from the fundamentalism of the past.

-Palpatine is not Sith; he is something even more powerful in the Darkside

I definitely like this. It’s the direction I took with my previous PT rewrite.

-Ventress dual-wielding ounds good; no lightpikes, double bladed blades or other silliness

I think lightsaber pikes are a neat variant, but I agree that double bladed lightsabers, lightwhips, etc. are a bridge too far.

-Clone Masters need to be the main enemy at some point (Episode 2 I guess); they come from outside the Galaxy and attack without warning; they are allied with the Mandalorians

I went a similar route in my last rewrite. Didn’t go the extragalactic route, though (seemed unnecessary, and gave me Yuuzhan Vong flashbacks), or associate them with the Mandos.

I was considering sticking closer to the Lucas/TCW version of the Clone Wars this time around, but I still like the idea of paying homage to the early EU lore.

-there are multiple Clone Wars seperated by years of peace

Did that last time, too. In my headcanon, there were three Clone Wars with three different adversarial forces which altogether spanned half a century. Part of me thought it made the universe more complex and “real”, but the other thought it complicated the story too much.

-lets put the Jedi in white half-armour like Kenobi wears in the Clone Wars

I’m more partial to the Vaderesque armour Anakin wore, especially if the clones are the bad guys of the story.

I have to say, your points have made me reconsider refurbishing my prior PT rewrite. I ended up going too far into postmodern grimdarkness, but there was a good story beneath the mire; it wouldn’t take much to polish it into a trilogy more in keeping with the spirit of the OT.

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“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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I always imagined the Clone Masters were geniuses of genetic engineering; throwing supersoldiers, war beasts, etc. at the Republic forces.

An alternative idea I toyed with years ago was replacing the Trade Federation with the Clone Masters as a powerful semi-independent faction within the Republic. Maybe they supply the Republic with it’s troops (like in the PT) and then try to stage a coup. Meshes with the PT a little better.

I also toyed with the idea that the Mandalorians are creation of the Clone Masters, but I prefer them to be technologically advanced warrior nomads like in the old EU. Hell, maybe the Death Star was their idea.

Are we agreed that Leia definitely gets a red lightsaber?

The Force extends ones life - I always envisioned this. So, Obi-wan is around 100 years old in Star Wars and had fought in all three Clone Wars.

The devastation of The Republic after the Clone Wars is what leads to Palpatine taking over. The various large Guilds (Transport, Power, etc.) get him elected, thinking he is just a useful idiot and would make an ideal figurehead. He turns the tables of course.

EDIT: Episode 1 drops us into the middle of the last, and most devastating, of the Clone Wars.

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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I also agree with your notion that the Jedi used blasters as well as lightsabers, although I think the lightsaber should still be their main weapon. And the Jedi are Knights right? Not weird monks that can’t have sex, families, or “attachments”.

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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theprequelsrule said:

And the Jedi are Knights right? Not weird monks that can’t have sex, families, or “attachments”.

Orthodox Jedi would be Catholic Shakers, but Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Yoda would be “gray” Jedi who operate independent of the mainline Jedi Order. I’m thinking Obi-Wan and one of these orthodox Jedi fall in love, and it’s his story rather than Anakin’s which includes a forbidden love angle.